Ignorance is Bliss
by mabelreid
Summary: One shot tag to "Scared to Death," from season three. Morgan helps Reid with a project designed to simplify his life. Please see the author's note for further explanation.


**_Disclaimer: see my profile page._**

 ** _A/n this one shot takes place in the third season. It is a sort of tag to "Scared to Death." I've been sick and as a way to amuse myself, I started to watch season three on Netflix. I was struck with inspiration by the infamous trapped in an elevator scene. I consider it on my top ten list of funniest CM moments between Derek and Spencer. Please enjoy and thank you all for your kind support._**

Derek Morgan looked at his watch and sighed. He put down the wrench he used to remove the hardware holding old pipes in place and wiped the sweat from his forehead. He picked up a bottle of water drank from it, and then used the last half to splash his face and hands. He shook the cold water from his face and frowned. The house needed his full attention, but he'd be late for an appointment with Reid if he didn't stop now.

An hour later, Spencer Reid stopped sorting through the books in his built-in shelves and hurried to the front door. "Hi," he greeted Morgan, who entered and grinned as his gaze took in the apartment.

"What?"

"Think you got enough books, pretty boy. No wonder you asked for my help."

"I dislike the thought of giving them away, but you're right. I have too many and need to get rid of a few."

"More than a few," Morgan observed as he bent to pick up a book. "Hm, Sherlock Holmes, why am I not surprised."

"That's stays," Reid snatched it from his hand.

"Okay, but this will take forever if I have to stop and ask about every book."

"You don't have to. I'm sorting. I need you to pack and stack."

Morgan shrugged and looked around. "Where'd you want me to start?"

"Over there," Reid pointed at a teetering stack of books to his left.

"Right."

Morgan began stacking books into a cardboard box. "You sure you don't need help carting these out."

"No, they're meant for charity. A couple of guys are picking them up this afternoon."

"Explains why you were so gung-ho for me to help this morning."

"Yeah."

They worked in silence for awhile, then, with a series of loud thumps, one of the unstable stacks of books crashed to the floor when Morgan bumped into it.

"Morgan!"

"Sorry, kid, but it's like a maze in here," Derek retorted and wiped fresh sweat from his face. "You got water."

"Of course, in the fridge. Would you get me one, too, please?"

"Sure."

Morgan brought back a bottle of water for Reid, and they stopped working long enough to take in much-needed hydration.

"Hey, what's this?" Morgan ducked and picked up a book titled, "100 Hundred Unusual Ways to Die."

"Oh, that's something JJ gave me for my last birthday. Don't you remember? She thought it was a good joke because of the Tommy Killer in San Diego and his obsession with the Death poetry."

"Right," Morgan began to laugh, "I remember you explaining about, the dialog betwixt death and the lady. You said something about typing death into a search engine."

"Yeah," Reid said defensively. "You know I had a point because you tried it, too."

"How do you know?"

Reid only shrugged. "Am I wrong?"

"No, and don't look so smug about it."

Reid smirked at him. "Sorry."

"No, you're not," Morgan said, but he smiled at his friend and flipped through the pages. "Looks interesting… hey, wait a minute. Here's that statistic you quoted me about elevator deaths. Is this where you got it?"

Reid flushed a little and kept his gaze on a thick book with a title in Korean. "Yeah, so what?"

"That why you want to get rid of it?"

"Morgan, don't pretend you didn't freak out that day."

Morgan shrugged. "I did, but the point is that we survived. We're not one of the six killed every year or one of the ten thousand injured."

"I know," Spencer said and slapped down another book. "Sorry."

"Hey, what's wrong, kid?"

"It's nothing."

"You sure."

Reid sat on the arm of his sofa and looked at his shoes. "I had a talk with Emily about Gideon."

Morgan leaned against the bookcase with his hands in his pockets. "What'd she say?"

"Not much, just that I should read the note he left for me, _again_. I reminded her I have an eidetic memory, but she didn't mean just to read it."

"She meant to consider why he left it for you and not for one of us."

"Yeah."

"Have you thought about it?"

Reid nodded his head. "It still hurts that he left just like my dad."

"You never know, you might see him again. Maybe he needs some time to get his head together and then he'll come back."

Spencer shook his head. "He won't come back, at least, not to the BAU."

"Perhaps, but he may come back to Virginia, and then you can see him again. I'll bet he misses his chess partner."

"He has a funny way of showing it," Reid said, bitterly.

"True, but would you have him stay when he's obviously burned out and miserable."

"I'd have him tell me goodbye in person, instead of in a note."

"You can't change it," Morgan said and tilted his head back to drink the last of his water.

"I realize that, but – well I guess it doesn't matter."

"I know," Morgan said and sighed. "Is this why you decided you had to reorganize and get rid of your books?"

Reid shook his head. "I don't know. Maybe."

Morgan studied his friend for a minute. "You have way too many books anyway."

"You think so," Reid countered with a smile.

"Yeah, and I have proof." Morgan picked up the book on 100 Unusual Deaths.

"JJ gave that to me, remember."

"Right," Morgan said and grinned at him. "You sure you want to give it away."

"I don't think JJ will know it's gone. She doesn't come here, and she won't ask."

"That's not what I'm worried about, kid. What if we get trapped in another elevator?"

Spencer pretended to throw one of his books at his friend. "Not funny, man."

Morgan looked at the book again. "I think you're right. Get rid of it and enjoy life."

"Why does getting rid of a book help me enjoy life?" Reid wanted to know.

"Because sometimes ignorance is bliss."

"I guess," Spencer agreed.

They returned to work and labored in silence until they finished stacking and packing. Reid slipped the last of his alphabetized books into the book-shelves and dusted off his hands. "Thanks," he said to Morgan.

"You're welcome. Remember you owe me when it comes time to paint my next flip."

Reid rolled his eyes. "I'm hungry. You buying?"

"No way. I think you're buying."

Reid smirked. "Okay, but if I have to buy, I get to pick the restaurant."

"I'm good with that," Morgan said and slapped him on the back. "Let's go."


End file.
